Silence.
A dead, suffocating silence.
The room was so still a pin drop could be heard.
Uchiha Itachi: "…"
As he brewed the tea, he froze. What… What's going on here?
But he was sharp. From the exchange between his teacher and the Hokage, he could more or less piece things together.
If he wasn't mistaken, the teapot, cups, and even the tea leaves he was using right now all belonged to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Last night, his teacher had been lurking around the Sarutobi compound…
Ah. He understood!
When his teacher left the Sarutobi clan grounds that morning, upholding his motto of "waste not, want not", he had simply helped himself and carried the treasures ho.
That's exactly the sort of thing he'd do.
Itachi rolled his eyes. His teacher was truly unreliable.
Yes, he was formidable—whether in strength, strategy, vision, philosophy, or dealing with people. There seed to be nothing in the world he couldn't grasp. Truly, a man of terrifying depth.
But his problem was obvious: he was far too unrestrained.
Stealing the Hokage's tea was one thing, but using it right in front of him? Isn't that basically slapping him in the face?
…
Indeed, that was exactly how Hiruzen felt. His lungs were about to explode.
It took all his willpower to suppress the urge to slap Kai across the face then and there.
Damn it! Show so sha! Sothing that rare and precious, you claim you just "found outside the door"? Then go outside and "find" another one!
Even if you're going to make up an excuse, at least try to make it sound plausible!
But he couldn't say it outright. He knew perfectly well the tea set and leaves were his, but if he confronted Kai directly, it would an tearing off the last veil of civility.
That was a risk he couldn't take.
Yes, last night's events—and Kai's letter in particular—had already strained things dangerously. But as long as neither side pushed the issue, they could maintain a façade of peace, buying ti.
And for now, he simply wasn't ready.
So he swallowed his rage. After steadying his breath, he finally spoke.
"Kai… let's not play gas."
"You made your intentions clear last night. I won't obstruct your actions—at least not until the war is over. I don't want Konoha to fall into chaos."
"Yes, war."
"I doubt the Uchiha want to inherit a shattered Konoha. The shinobi world is shifting—three great villages are already at war with us, and even the Hidden Mist, despite their treaty, could break it at any ti."
"Konoha must hold steady. We need unity against external foes."
"Especially at the border with the Land of Grass. Minato is on an important mission there. Your old teammate Shisui, along with Hyuga Aya and Nara Kazama, are with him."
"I want you to go and assist Minato. And I guarantee—while you are away, no action will be taken against the Uchiha."
"In fact, as a condition… you may choose one forbidden technique from the Scroll of Seals."
Hiruzen kept his tone direct. He realized that the more he tried to spar with Kai verbally, the faster he would die of fury. Better to get straight to the point.
On the other side, Kai's eyes narrowed. His mind raced, weighing the risks and rewards.
After a long pause, he exhaled deeply and raised two fingers.
"Two forbidden techniques," Kai said evenly. "And one person."
"Don't rush to refuse, Lord Hokage. If I dare ask, I have my reasons."
"I don't know the full scope of your plans, but clearly you need out of the village. If you want to take that risk, I deserve proper compensation. Risks and rewards must be balanced, don't you think?"
"I respect Namikaze Minato—but if even the Yellow Flash is struggling, the danger must be extraordinary."
"And beyond the enemy, I must guard against the 'Pot King' sabotaging !"
"Don't deny it. You know as well as I do—you cannot control Danzo."
Right now, Kai was like a salesman, doing his utmost to raise his price.
Since Hiruzen had dropped the act, Kai saw no reason to keep pretending either. There were indeed techniques in the Scroll he wanted. For that, a little risk was worth it.
Hiruzen twitched when he heard the nickna "Pot Kage".
Well… it wasn't wrong. Hadn't the whole point of grooming Danzo been to make him the fall guy? The Hokage must be spotless. The stains had to fall on soone else.
Otherwise, why grant him such broad authority?
Still, Kai's reasoning struck ho.
After a mont of thought, Hiruzen nodded.
"Very well. State your terms."
Kai smiled faintly, wasting no ti.
"The Spirit Transformation Technique, and the Eight Inner Gates Formation. And I want the Genin, Might Duy."
Yes, these were what he coveted most.
The Eight Gates needed no explanation. True, he could probably acquire it directly from Might Duy, but he wanted to study the original text alongside Duy's modified version. A technique that had existed since the Warring States but never been mastered—surely there was sothing in the original that had been lost.
Duy's Eight Gates was powerful, but the toll on the body was monstrous. Kai wanted to see how the original was written.
As for the Spirit Transformation Technique—others might dismiss it, but Kai knew its true value.
A jutsu that allowed the soul to leave the body wasn't just for sneak attacks. The human body had two cores: flesh and spirit.
In cultivation terms, the soul leaving the body was sothing only a Nascent Soul-level cultivator could achieve.
To him, it was priceless. Not only could it refine the soul, but perhaps it could also enhance yin-natured chakra.
If that were true, and if the entire Uchiha clan could practice it—their power would soar beyond imagination.
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